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Indiana’s Ebony Hoffman Named 2008 WNBA Most Improved Player of the Year

-- Becomes Second Indiana Fever Player to
Win Award --

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2008 - Indiana Fever forward Ebony Hoffman has been
named the 2008 WNBA Most Improved Player, the league announced today. Hoffman
received 31 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Chicago
Sky guard Jia Perkins finished second with five votes and New York Liberty forward
Shameka Christon placed third with two votes.

In her fifth season in the league, Hoffman made a significant improvement over
her previous years, setting career highs in points (10.4 ppg), rebounds (7.8
rpg), assists (1.8 apg), steals (1.4 spg), field goal percentage (46.5) and
three-point percentage (45.6). Her scoring average was four points greater than
her previous high in 2006 (6.4 ppg) while she collected nearly three rebounds
per game more than she did two seasons ago (5.7 rpg). Her 2008 statistics placed
her fifth in the league in rebounding and second among league leaders in three-point
field goal percentage.

Hoffman, who has consistently been one of the team's leading rebounders since
being drafted, wrapped up the season as the only player in the league to pull
down 90 offensive rebounds, finishing with 94 to rank second in franchise history
for a single season (109, Natalie Williams, 2003).

She displayed her versatility this season by expanding her game from beyond
the three-point arc. Against Phoenix in her final game of the season, Hoffman
finished 4-for-4 on three-pointers to become the sixth player in team history
to make at least four threes without a miss. Her three-point field goal percentage
also ranked as the best single-season percentage in team history.

Heading into the season, Hoffman had never scored more than 16 points in a
game. In 2008, she scored 20 or more points three times, including a career-high
26 in triple overtime at New York. She led the team in scoring on four occasions
and finished the season fourth on the Fever in scoring after ranking eighth
in 2007.

Hoffman becomes the second Indiana player to win the Most Improved Player award.
Then a member of the Fever, Kelly Miller won the award in 2004 when she was
named co-Most Improved Player with Wendy Palmer.

A native of Harbor City, Calif., Hoffman was drafted by the Fever with the
ninth overall pick of the 2004 WNBA Draft. She played her college basketball
at USC where she was a three-time All-Pac-10 honoree and earned her degree in
international relations.

As the WNBA Most Improved Player of the Year, Hoffman will receive a specially
designed trophy from Tiffany & Co. and $5,000.

Below are the complete results of the 2008 WNBA Most Improved Player voting
and past recipients.

2008 MOST IMPROVED
PLAYER OF THE YEAR RESULTS

31

Ebony Hoffman

Indiana Fever

5

Jia Perkins

Chicago Sky

2

Shameka Christon

New York Liberty

1

Ivory Latta

Atlanta Dream

1

Camille Little

Seattle Storm

1

Sancho Lyttle

Houston Comets

1

Janel McCarville

New York Liberty

1

Barbara Turner

Connecticut Sun

1

Sophia Young

San Antonio Silver Stars

PAST MOST IMPROVED
PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2008

Ebony Hoffman

Indiana Fever

2007

Janel McCarville

New York Liberty

2006

Erin Buescher

Sacramento Monarchs

2005

Nicole Powell

Sacramento Monarchs

2004

Wendy Palmer/Kelly Miller

Connecticut Sun/Indiana Fever

2003

Michelle Snow

Houston Comets

2002

Coco Miller

Washington Mystics

2001

Janeth Arcain

Houston Comets

2000

Tari Phillips

New York Liberty

About the WNBA
Comprised of 14 teams, the WNBA is the most successful women's professional
team sports league in the world. The WNBA concluded its 12th regular season
with increases in key metrics including attendance, ratings and web traffic.
The 2008 WNBA Playoffs presented by adidas tipped off on Thursday, Sept. 18.
The 2008 WNBA Finals presented by adidas will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that
improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs
that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and
women's health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on
education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.